A Rhyl man caught dealing cannabis for the second time this year was not sent to jail - in case being inside made him more of a criminal.

A judge told former lifeguard Jordan Ian Jones, 20, that he would not send him into youth custody after he admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply on August 22.

Mold Crown Court was told that in May Jones, of Ffordd Derwen, was placed on a community order for the same offence.

The Judge, Mr Recorder Timothy Petts said that it was a serious offence which justified custody.

But there was a risk that if he sent him into immediate custody then he would become further criminalised and not get the help that he required.

The community sentence was revoked and he received a total of 36 weeks youth custody suspended for a year.

He was placed on supervision and ordered to carry out 250 hours unpaid work.

Jones was placed on a 12 month drug rehabilitation requirement and was ordered to pay a criminal court charge of £1,000.

The judge warned him that it was “last chance saloon.”

The glimmer of hope was that he was progressive well under the original community order and had shown a great desire to move on with his life – but unfortunately had continued to use cannabis, the judge said.

Prosecuting barrister Claire Jones told how the defendant was stopped in a car in Rhyl on the night of August 22 and cannabis was found in the glove box, to the value of £190.

Sarah Yates, defending, said that her client’s job as a life-guard ended, and he ended up selling cannabis to a small number of friends.

He had received a chance in May but had made excellent progress, she said.